Picking Up The Pieces
by T3hG33k
Summary: Set after the Season 3 Christmas Special. Mrs. Hughes helps Mary pick up the pieces. Please review, I can continue or leave it here depending on what is wanted!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: It all belongs to Fellowes, I'm just playing with them for a bit.**

Anna descended the stairs in time for breakfast dropping a tray off on her way before slipping into her seat. She hadn't left last night, it'd been almost a month and she was worried about Lady Mary. Mrs. Hughes entered and offered Anna a nod, is she any better this morning Anna?

"No, Mrs. Hughes. She hadn't touched the tray I brought up last night, I talked her into a few spoonfuls of soup before I fell asleep but that was it. I'm not sure what to do anymore."

With a sigh Mrs. Hughes slipped into her seat, "Daisy can you bring me another bowl please? I'll go up after breakfast Anna you look like you're about to drop."

"Thank you Mrs. Hughes, I'd like to run home for a change if that's alright?"

"Of course." As breakfast began Elsie served up her own food as well as a serving for Lady Mary.

Carson watched with a perked brow, "Surely you're not taking that up to Lady Mary Mrs. Hughes? It's not what she prefers for breakfast..."

"It is Mr. Carson, and frankly I don't care what she prefers. She's got to get something down and this I can spoon into her mouth even if she's fighting." There was a hint of a smile on her lips, they both knew she'd do no such thing. They also both knew that she very well could manage it if she needed to.

As the staff left the table to attend their duties Elsie, set the porridge, toast with jam, and strong tea on a tray. Lifting the tray she began to mount the stairs, balancing the tray carefully she gave a short knock on the door before opening it. Slipping inside just as the nanny was leaving with the baby. "Good morning M'Lady."

"Oh...Mrs. Hughes. Good morning. I told Anna I didn't need anything..." Her voice was as hollow as her eyes looked. She'd lost too much weight, and she obviously wasn't sleeping.

"On the contrary, you need to eat. I know you don't want to, but you need to." Crossing the room she sat the tray on the side table, "And once you've eaten we're going to get you bathed and changed, and then you're going to go downstairs for a while so that I can clean your room and change the linens."

"No Mrs. Hughes. I'm not. I don't want to go anywhere. Just leave me alone please?" Mary sat staring at the wall directly ahead of her.

Throwing all things proper out the window, Elsie nudged Mary over closer to the middle of the bed gently and sat down facing the younger woman. Her mother couldn't get through to the girl, nor could her grandmother, or her father, or even her sister. Anna had tried, as had Carson. The doctor had pleaded with her to at least eat something and try to get some sleep, none of it had done a thing. It was time for the formidable housekeeper to give it a try. "I know we've not always seen eye to eye M'lady, and I know you're not all that fond of me, but I'm here and we're going to work on this."

Reaching over she gently wrapped Mary's cold hand between her warm ones, "Do you remember when you were much younger? Lady Edith had broken your china doll and Mr. Carson couldn't fix it, so you brought it to me in tears?" When Mary nodded, Elsie continued. "I told you then that she would never be the same, but we were going to pick up the pieces and glue them back together anyways. I don't pretend to understand what you're feeling, but it's time to pick up the pieces and glue them back together. And it's not ever going to be the same but you've got a wee babe that needs his mother. So...let's start by getting something into that stomach of yours hmm?"

"Oh Mrs. Hughes." It was then that Mary began to cry, really cry. She'd been shocked, and angry even, but she hadn't broken down and just cried. Lurching forward she wrapped her arms around the older womans middle, resting her face against her chest.

It took her a few moments to process what had just happened, this was the last place she thought she'd find herself. Yet she knew it was exactly where she needed to be. Shifting the both of them Elsie let her back lean against the headboard and drew Mary close. Rubbing her back gently with one hand and stroking her hair back out of the way with the other. "Let it out lass, you've got to let it out." There was no shushing, and there wouldn't be. A good cry would do Mary a world of good, letting go was probably the single best thing the girl could do.

"Sing me a song Mrs. Hughes?" Mary choked out between sobs, clutching tighter to the one person who didn't seem to expect her to just move on. At least that was how she'd viewed the actions and words of her family. "Like you used to sing Sybil."

Shifting again so that they were both a little more comfortable, and yet keeping her shoes off the bed she continued comforting Mary while she began to sing softly.

"Baloo baleerie, baloo baleerie  
Baloo baleerie, baloo balee

Gang awa' peerie faeries,  
Gang awa' peerie faeries,  
Gang awa' peerie faeries,  
Frae oor ben noo.

Baloo baleerie, baloo baleerie  
Baloo baleerie, baloo balee

Doon come the bonny angels,  
Doon come the bonny angels,  
Doon come the bonny angels,  
Tae oor ben noo.

Baloo baleerie, baloo baleerie  
Baloo baleerie, baloo balee

Sleep saft my baby,  
Sleep saft my baby,  
Sleep saft my baby,  
In oor ben noo.

Baloo baleerie, baloo baleerie  
Baloo baleerie, baloo balee"

Marys sobs had faded nearly halfway through the lullaby, her breathing had evened by the end. She slept still clutching to Elsie who found her eyes falling shut slowly, her cheek pressed to the top of Marys head. A little nap wouldn't hurt much would it? She couldn't bring herself to leave Mary to wake alone, not this time.

A/N: Please review! If you'd like more let me know I can continue or I can leave it here, just a little something that popped into my head in the middle of the night!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own em, can't afford to lease em. **

**A/N: Yeah still not sure about this lol**

Charles climbed the stairs, he'd not seen or heard from Elsie since she went up. It'd been a while now, certainly she should have been done? As he neared the door he was waved back by none other than the Dowager. Stepping back a few paces he simply stood with his eyebrows raised.

"Carson, I want you to make certain no one, and I mean no one, disturbs those two. Who knew it'd be Mrs. Hughes to break through to the girl? You just stay there and keep people away."

Was he mistaken or did it look as if the older woman had been crying? Stunned he moved to take up her place next to the open door with a nod and a 'Yes M'Lady'. Once the hall was clear again he slipped inside the room silently, the two women were in fact asleep, the picture before him pulled at feelings he'd tried to bury for a long time. Elsie, he never called her Mrs. Hughes in his mind, no she was his Elsie. Elsie looked uncomfortable, if only he could get her shoes off and ease her the rest of the way onto the bed. After a few moments hesitation he did just that, slipping her shoes off quickly and quietly and setting them onto the floor, then easing her feet onto the bed, pausing as she shifted slightly.

When she didn't wake he collected the tray and slipped back into the hall, waiting for someone to come by he could hand it off to.

Elsie woke with a start as Mary moved beside her in the bed, drawing her head up she glanced down at the girl with a smile. "Good morning M'Lady."

"Mrs. Hughes...thank you. I'm so sorry...so very sorry." She sat up quickly, pulling herself back together. Attempting to pull those walls back up.

"No. No apologies. Now. let's get some food into you shall we?" She left no room for argument, it wasn't until she set her feet on the floor that she realized her shoes were missing. For a moment she sat confused until she spotted them lined up precisely on the ground, only one person would do that and she knew exactly who. Slipping them on she looked to Mary with a grin, when she spoke her voice was barely above a whisper. "I do believe Mr. Carson is most likely pacing in the hallway... what would you like to eat? Let's give the man something to do."

"Nothing... I'm really not..."

"Soup then? Hm I believe Mrs. Patmore probably has some stew in the kitchen, or perhaps chicken? Maybe a sandwich as well?"

"No, I'll be alri..."

Elsie cut her off again, "I think chicken. I'll let him know." Crossing the room she smiled as she pulled the door open the rest of the way and found herself looking at the back of Charles' head. "Mr. Carson...would you please see if Mrs. Patmore can make up a tray for Lady Mary? Chicken soup, a sandwich, and a cup of tea if you will."

He smiled down at her, something in him had changed when he'd walked into that room. How or If he would act on it was something he'd have to think on. "Certainly Mrs. Hughes."

With a nod she turned and shut the door, "Would you allow me to draw you a bath M'Lady? Or I can have Anna come up if you'd prefer."

"I. Mrs. Hughes? Why are you doing this?" Mary sat on the edge of her bed, feet dangling over the side. She was a mess, her hair had been brushed and rebraided at some point but it had been a while.

"As I said before, I'm going to help you pick up the pieces and put them back together. I know you're hurting, and I know you don't want the help...but I'm not willing to sit by while there's still something that I can do."

"Thank you. You're the only one...that's let me cry. Really cry." Glancing down at her hands she just nodded, "Alright. A bath, if you don't mind staying I'd rather not bother Anna right now." In truth she wasn't ready to face Anna's nearly hidden disappointment.

"I don't mind." She set about preparing the bath, humming softly as she worked, she knew it'd take a while for lunch to be made up. With the bath drawn she moved to Marys side helping her to the dressing table, where she began to at least start untangling the mess of hair.

Mary just did as she was directed, she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that it needed to be done. She felt weak, weaker than she'd anticipated, and suddenly she hated it. She looked to the housekeeper in the mirror, "I take it, he was pacing out there as you predicted?"

"He was M'lady, he's been worried about you." With her hair brushed, Elsie helped Mary up and to the tub, and then into it.

"More like he was worried something had happened to you. Don't think I don't know that he paces if your two minutes late coming back from the village."

Blinking slowly she considered a reply as she worked at washing Lady Marys hair. "I...I don't know about that M'Lady."

"Oh come on now Mrs. Hughes...I'm not blind. The rest of this house may be but I've known Carson long enough to know how he feels about you. Even if he won't open his mouth and say something."

"Perhaps...I'll probably never know." Using the edge of the tub she eased herself back to her feet biting back a groan, it wasn't often she spent time kneeling on the floor anymore. "Just give me a holler when you're ready to get out, I'll go see to your room."

"Mrs. Hughes! Don't... don't change..." she felt the color rising to her cheeks as she stumbled over her words.

"I'll not change his pillow M'Lady. Don't worry, just take a bit to relax."

The relief washed over her face as she was spared from having to explain what she wanted. Closing her eyes she let the warm water wash over her. She knew she had to do something. Carson was a second father to her, she knew he'd never tell Mrs. Hughes a thing for fear of one or both of them loosing their jobs, of being cast out of the house. If she'd learned anything in the last few years, it was that life was too short to lock out the chance at love.


End file.
